Occupy Portland joined the nationwide N17 protests Thursday morning with a gathering at the east end of the Steel Bridge.

Like protests planned throughout the United States, Portland's demonstrators plan to occupy banks and financial institutions, and possibly other businesses. Events begin with this morning's march into downtown, but protest organizers have not released specifics about their mobilization on banks and businesses, which is supposed to begin about 11 a.m.

Early Thursday, Portland police closed the Steel Bridge to all but TriMet bus and MAX traffic, freight and passenger rail service. Other commuters were rerouted in anticipation of the rally and march. However, protesters said they planned to get arrested by pushing their way onto the bridge at 8 a.m.

9:59 a.m.: Portland police tweet: Why do we wear extra protective gear?
While the vast majority of #opdx protesters are non-violent, some are not.
#safetyfirst

9:55 a.m.: About a dozen police officers in black uniforms are on the eastern side of the Hawthorne
Bridge and are pulled to the side, apparently in preparation. No protesters
appear to be around. Traffic heading into downtown is backed up.

9:50 a.m.: Portland police Sgt. Pete Simpson said a peaceful protest is not necessarily a
legal one. He said it’s not lawful to trespass or interfere with a business
operation, as police are hearing, will result in arrests.

9:46 a.m.: #OccupyPortland protesters -- about 400 now -- have stopped marching at SW Ankeny and Naito Pkwy for a rally set to begin at 10 a.m.

The marchers are massing around chanting at the Saturday Market site on the
Waterfront. We are Oregon, which represents people who have been foreclosed
on, plans to send a delegation to Chase Bank in Pioneer Courthouse Square at
noon to serve a foreclosure notice to the bank.

9:44 a.m.:@SarahMorrigan tweeted what she called “an urgent open letter” to Mayor Sam
Adams and police Chief Mike Reese, taking issue with police tactics when it
comes to the Occupy movement. She calls the heavy police presense in light of
the demonstrations part of “an ongoing intimidation campaign.”

“While
the ongoing intimidation campaign by the Portland Police Bureau further drives a
wedge between the more mainstream, moderate types of the "99 percent" and the
radical, "anarchist" elements, the demonstrations are increasingly attracting
those radicalized elements while driving away the more moderate and peaceful
types, including myself. Enough is enough.”

9:39 a.m.: The first marchers have just arrived at the meeting point on the waterfront
where Saturday Market is held. No police are in evidence, officers have hung
way back.

9:38 a.m.: The view from the back: A very orderly, pleasant march. It’s not a rowdy
crowd. The union got here early and they are organized with bullhorns, signs
and selling buttons. For $1 dollar you can buy a button that says: We are 99
percent! Dennis, the seller, brought 500, says he’s sold about 300. Chants
printed on chartreuse handouts. Quite a few baby boomers mixed in with familiar
faces from the Occupy Portland camp.

9:36 a.m.: From Portland Police: The tail of the #N17pdx march has left the Steel Bridge. #opdx9:30 a.m.: From Portland Police: The #N17pdx protesters are now entering Waterfront Park from the lower deck of the Steel Bridge. #opdx9:28 a.m.: "All the police--it's overkill," said Bill Shea, 49, of NW Pdx, a member of Laborers Local 320 marching with #OccupyPortland today.

Two police officers posted on every corner of Chapman, Lownsdale sqs. #occupyportland

Protester to another: I support everyone getting along. #occupyportland lots of bicycles being marched

9:23 a.m.: Bus lines 4, 8, 44 and 77 have resumed service on the Steel Bridge. Riders should expect delays.

The larger group of protesters plans to exit the bridge ramp once the
arrests are done. They plan to walk across the Steel Bridge using the pedestrian
walkway, which is open.

The scene is
organized and orderly. Those who wanted to be arrested are wearing pink
armbands. Monitors trained by the Service Employees International Union are on
hand to guide the demonstration onto the pedestrian walkway.

Those arrested are being booked on a trio of charges: second-degree
disorderly conduct, interfering with a police officer and interfering with
vehicular traffic.

“The group has been utterly peaceful,” said Lt.
Robert King, a Portland police spokesman. “This is organized labor. .¤.¤. The
group has been totally peaceful. We have made these arrests peacefully. We are
hoping the rest of today continues just like this.”

9:19 a.m.: All Lanes of Steel Bridge have been re-opened to @trimet traffic.

9:16 a.m.: Demonstrators are walking unimpeded by police as they cross the Steel Bridge on the pedestrian walkway. A team of officers on bicycles has ridden ahead and will be waiting to
meet up with the demonstrators once they cross the bridge.

Protesters are beginning to walk across the foot bridge that spans
the railroad tracks that pass through the area. From there, they are descended
the rampway that takes them to the Eastbank Esplanade, where they can access the
lower walkway on the Steel Bridge.

"There are no jobs," said Kent Spring, 66, of North Pdx as officers arrested him after asking him to move from the bridge. #OccupyPortland

From a passenger on the #8 bus crossing bridge: TriMet is rerouting buses up the MAX tracks
to get around protesters that are blocking the east entrance to bridge.

Only caused a 1-minute delay to this bus, but driver said earlier laps
were delayed 12 minutes getting around police cars.

9:13 a.m.: Monitors with the protesters were making hand signals that it’s time
to leave the bridge. More police were arriving. At first, no one was moving and
more riot police arrived. But then protesters began to turn around and head for
the path that will take them to bridge's the lower walkway. Protesters now
leaving bridge and planning to walk across the river on the pedestrian walkway
on the lower part of the bridge. They say the plan is to reassemble in
Waterfront Park.

9:02 a.m.: Dennis (no last name) is selling buttons "we are the 99%" for $1 for occupy #occupyportland

9:01 a.m.: From Get on the Bridge event page: On Nov. 17th, we will declare an economic emergency!!:-25 million Americans are looking for workbut Congress wont pass a jobs bill-Super-Committee budget cuts could kill millions of more jobs-This economy works for the richest 1%not the 99%The Steel Bridge is structurally deficient and in need of repair. This is work that needs doing, even while thousands in Portland are unemployed!Bridges like this one are symbols of politicians failure to pass a jobs bill or do anything to help the 99%, while the richest 1% keep getting richer.On Nov. 17th, we say enough is enough we cant wait any longer.NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION PORTLAND NEW YORK LOS ANGELES DETROIT HOUSTON BOSTON SEATTLE CHICAGO PITTSBURGH PHILADELPHIA WASHINGTON DC MIAMI MILWAUKEE MINNEAPOLIS

8:56 a.m.: Angela MacWhinnie, who is a with group called "We Are
Oregon" which represents labor and community groups, said "We will stay here
and support the people who are getting arrested."

She said she thought several dozen people were getting arrested and that
the consensus of the grup is to reroute and cross the Steel Bridge on the lower
walkway.

Police are working in pairs to arrest #OccupyPortland protesters who are sitting on the Steel Bridge; so far, 14 arrests have been made.

8:52 a.m.: "I don't take it personally," said Officer Cory Stenzel, facing the #Occupyportland march in a line with other police dressed in riot gear.

8:50 a.m.: Police have now arrested more than a dozen people who were sitting
down on the Steel Bridge and are putting them on to a TriMet bus.
Protesters at the front of the group who are facing police are all holding
hands. Behind them are more protesters.

8:48 a.m.: #thallmanjr says the #occupyportland #n17 scene is calm as #PortlandPolice make arrests, "like waiting in line for seat at a restaurant."

8:36 a.m.: Protesters picked through a stack of signs beneath a tree at the eastern end of the Steel Bridge. "Stop foreclosure now," read one. "Property for the people," read another.

Several protesters take a pass on this sign: "The 1 percent must pay."Jobs related signs appeared to be the most popular.

8:32 a.m.: Police are pushing some protesters back with batons. Police have managed to
isolate a small group of protesters who are seated on the ground at the front
line of the protest.
About 30 people have sat on the bridge in front of police. Many in the
crowd are chanting, "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out."

8:30 a.m.: Hundreds of protesters are moving toward about two dozen Portland police on
the bridge, hoping for a confrontation.

About 30 people have sat peacefully on the bridge in front of police. Many in the
crowd are chanting, "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out."

8:26 a.m.: They say get back ... we say fight back... #OccupyPortland8:24 a.m.: They're preparing to march #occupyportland

From Portland Police: closed the Steel Bridge today to ped, bike and vehicles because the bridge is a critical thoroughfare for MAX and railroad traffic.

8:23 a.m.: Matthew Kennedy, 45, of Florence, said the anti-corporate message of Occupy
movement resonates with him. He said he’s a college-educated businessman and
homeowner and he wanted to lend his voice to today’s demonstration.

He
said the message of the protest falls under “one big umbrella: Get corporate
greed out of politics. That was my rallying cry. We we take that away, we will
get rid of all kinds of problems.”

8:20 a.m.: The #OccupyPortland crowd at N Interstate has grown to about 200, according to police.

#OccupyPortland protesters are considering switching today's march from the Steel Bridge to one that isn't closed to traffic.

8:18 a.m.: In some parts of the country, occupation of bridges has been used as a way
to focus on infrastructure needs, and bridges considered to be in particular
disrepair have been targeted.
Mike Pullen of Multnomah County said the county was unaware of any
plans involving county bridges today.

"We appreciate anybody's support for focusing attention on the needs of our
aging infrastructure," he said, "but we haven't heard of anyone wanting to stage
a protest on the county's bridges."

When it comes to public safety issues on the bridges, it's more of a
Portland police matter, Pullen said. "Our job is to keep the bridge safe for the
traveling public. Mainly our legal job is to make sure the bridges can open and
close for ships."

8:16 a.m.: Protesters tell The Oregonian that sometime before 8:30 a.m. a small
group plans to march up the westbound ramp onto the Steel Bridge and attempt to
cross. That entrance is now blocked by more than a dozen Portland police in riot
gear.

Members of organized labor have said they do not plan to take part
in the plan and will not engage in civil disobedience.

"The cool thing is, we have legs and the bridges are near," said #Occupyportland protester Tony Zilka, 20, of NE Pdx.

8:14 a.m.: "This is a new civil-rights struggle," said Woody Broadnax, who was part of anti-segregation sit-ins during the 60s in Oakland, Ca #OccupyPortland

From TriMet: Due to Get on the Bridge event planned today, MAX and bus service on Steel Bridge may be disrupted. Riders should expect delays.

8:09 a.m.: Marilyn Pike of SE Pdx w #occupyportland at Steel Bridge. How long involved? Pike: "Oh, since about 1968."

Woody Broadnax, 64, of Portland wants to encourage fellow #OccupyPortland marchers to protest in DC-- "the house of power itself," he said.8:05 a.m. TriMet buses, trains still going over Steel Bridge. All other traffic banned this morning because of #occupyportland

Marilyn Pike of SE Pdx out w marchers on East side of Steel Bridge. How long involved? Pike: "Oh, since about 1968."

7:30 a.m. So far mostly quiet on the east side of the Steel Bridge, save for a gaggle of journalists, and some police on the west side. Three labor and community representatives are talking with police about their plans.

7:40 a.m. "Me? Oh, I haven't had a day off in two weeks," said Portland Officer Phil Maynard of East Precinct, reflecting on the strain of #Occupyportland.7:50 a.m. About 200 people have gathered at the bridge. Among them is Kent Spring, 66, a retired math teacher from Portland's Grant High School, said he came to demonstrate on behalf of young Americans like his nephew who are out of work. He said he worries about their future.

"People need work," said Spring, who lives in Portland. "What is going to happen to them is a good question."

He said he remembers some of the country's most significant social movements and thinks the current Occupy movement "has possibilities."

"This is the beginning," he said. "We will have to see where this goes."

Meagan Hise, 30, of Portland, took the day off work as a communications specialist with Labors Local 483, which represents city maintenance workers, to take part in the protest.

"This is a struggle that affects all working people," she said. "There's plenty of work to do, and there's plenty of people who need work."

Wesley Buchholz, 43, of Portland, works for the Bureau of Environmental Services at the waste water division. He said he took a half day off so he could participate in the morning's demonstration. He said he's worried about possible cuts to the city's budget, and what that means for jobs.

"We need jobs for people," he said. "We are not going to make this city liveable if we cut working men and women." 7:59 a.m. Jobs for Justice signs in English and Spanish. They're handing out chartreuse sheets with chants #occupyportland